DC Ludhiana kick-starts 3rd phase of covid vaccination drive for general population at DMCH

Ludhiana: Further ramping up its battle against the Covid pandemic, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma on Monday kick-started the vaccination drive for the persons above the age of 60 and those older than 45 with comorbidities that make them safe from Covid-19. 

Underlining that this six-weeks immunization drive will be crucial against the infectious disease, the Deputy Commissioner said that this vaccination phase will help to halt the spread of the Covid by breaking the chain of transmission of virus. 

Emphasising that the vaccine will not only protect the people from virus but their families and would ensure that the virus would not spread from them, Deputy Commissioner appealed all the eligible persons to come forward and take Covid jab. 

Interacting with the elderly population at the vaccination site of Dumra Auditorium in Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, here, the Deputy Commissioner lauded their keenness for getting vaccine shot and asked them to sensitize the people about importance of vaccine in their areas. 

He informed that the vaccination will be completely free of cost at government hospitals and centres, private health institutions cannot charge more than Rs 250 for each beneficiary (per dose) which includes Rs 150 as cost of vaccine and upto Rs 100 service charges. 

Deputy Commissioner informed that the portal for the registration (https://t.co/4VNaXjkGyp) has also been updated and can be done at home easily. 

He said that district administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth vaccination drive and we have sufficient stock of the vaccine. 

The Deputy Commissioner added that the persons aged between 45-59 years category with co-morbidities, who can get themselves vaccinated are heart failure with hospital admission in past one year, post Cardiac Transplant/Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF < 40%) -Moderate or Severe Valvular Heart Disease, Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH -Coronary Artery Disease with past CABG/PTCA/MI and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment -Angina and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment -CT/MRI documented stroke and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment -Pulmonary artery hypertension and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment -Diabetes (> 10 years or with complications) and Hypertension on treatment, kidney/Liver/Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/On wait-list, end Stage Kidney Disease on haemodialysis/CAPD, current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/immunosuppressant medications, decompensated cirrhosis, severe respiratory disease with hospitalizations in last two years/FEV1 < 50%, lymphoma/Leukaemia/Myeloma, Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after 1st July 2020 or currently on any cancer, therapy, sickle Cell Disease/Bone marrow failure/Aplastic Anemia/Thalassemia Major, primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/HIV infection and Persons with disabilities due to Intellectual disabilities/Muscular Dystrophy/Acid attack with involvement of respiratory system/Persons with disabilities having high support needs/Multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness.

Prominent among present occasion included Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Sandeep Kumar, Civil Surgeon Dr Sukhjeevan Kakkar, District Immunization Officer Dr Kiran Gill, Dr Bishav Mohan, Mr Prem Gupta and others.